Q: How do I buy the right amount of wood for my wood furniture projects?
A: Buying the right amount of wood for your project can seem as difficult as making the project itself! Wood furniture Chicago stores sell wood in lots of different shapes and sizes (i.e. rough lumber, straight-on four sides, straight-on three sides, uniform size, random size). The best thing to do first is to make a ‘materials list,’ or cut list. The list should be very thorough, consisting of all of the pieces of wood you will need, their species and their sizes. Also record whether to use hardwood or softwood and decide which wood you want to use (i.e. oak, cherry, maple, etc). When buying furniture-quality wood, with only a few exceptions, the wood should be sold in random widths and random lengths. This ensures that no wood will go to waste.
Now, consider this scenario: I need four one-inch-wide pieces, but there are not any available in the hardware store of my choice. However, there is a six-inch-wide piece available. At this point, it is a good idea to challenge your math skills. You may have to “marry” pieces together.
Now you have a choice: You can buy the six-inch-piece from the store, cut your four one-inch pieces from that piece and still have two inches left over to use somewhere else. Good thing you paid attention in math class!
As I said earlier, buying the right amount of wood can be a little tricky. It is always aggravating to return to the hardware store because you didn’t get everything you needed at once. So take your time, do your homework and remember the golden rule of woodworking: “Measure twice, cut once!!